Chobani recalls yogurt, but USDA sticks with company for school lunch program

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration announced Thursday "that Greek yogurt maker Chobani is voluntarily recalling some of its product after customers complained of illness and mold. The recall comes just weeks after USDA selected the company to supply Greek yogurt to four states' school lunch programs as part of a pilot," Aarian Marshall reports for Agri-Pulse, a Washington newsletter. "Chobani had identified a 'type of mold commonly found in the dairy environment,' but said the mold only affected less than 5 percent of production and was limited to those products produced at a facility in Idaho."

Despite the recall, "USDA says, however, that the pilot program has not been affected," Marshall writes "The first shipments of yogurt will not reach schools until the second half of September, and the department says it is working with Chobani to ensure that the Greek yogurt given to students participating in the National School Lunch Program (NSLP) is safe."

The pilot programs will take place through December in New York, Idaho, Arizona and Tennessee, Marshall writes. Then USDA "will determine whether to add the meat-free protein source to the national program." (Read more)